


Pretenses

by LMAO_Its_Jazzy



Series: Metamorphosis [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BDSM, Bad BDSM Etiquette mentioned, Branding, Brothels, Cunnilingus, Dark Past, Drama & Romance, F/M, Forced Orgasm, Hair-pulling, Historical Fantasy, I've added enough tags to warn y'all, Implied Sexual Content, Impregnation, Light BDSM, Multiple Orgasms, No Safeword, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Out of Character, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Pegging, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rare Characters, Rare Pairings, Redemption, Rough Kissing, Rough Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Safe Sane and Consensual, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Tags May Change, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-01-27 13:26:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21392902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LMAO_Its_Jazzy/pseuds/LMAO_Its_Jazzy
Summary: Seasons have passed since Sanji's departure at Germa. The kingdom enjoyed peace for a short time until an unexpected attack caught them unaware . The young head chef, Cosette has been under the Vinsmoke's household for years, but that's all they know her as she is. Unbeknownst to everyone, she kept her past purposely hidden until she made an unlikely deal with the Second Prince of Germa, Niji.
Relationships: Cosette/Vinsmoke Niji, Vinsmoke Niji/Cosette, Vinsmoke Sanji/Cosette
Series: Metamorphosis [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542292
Comments: 35
Kudos: 46





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!  
I'M BACK AFTER I FINALLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE HAHAHA. First, thank you so much for your patience. I really appreciate it. This is my promising fanfic of To Be Human that was discontinued,due to my writer's block and busy academic schedule. As of now, please take note that Cosette's past here still follows as a woman from a brothel, but with a twist. Don't like a sweet, cinnamon roll to have a dark past? DON'T READ.

He is almost at the brink of surrendering, his crew get separated again because of _that_ man, his captain was in a life-and-death situation, and now he was caught by that man’s men.

The smell of the rank and putrid prison cells along the hall filled his nostrils and the deafening screams and yelps of the prisoners being tortured in their chambers rang in his ears. Sanji plods with heavy feet, bleeding, and his hands were cuffed to his back in rusted irons.

“Move along now, lad!” the soldier hits his lower back with a baton as the guard opens a cell for him. The guard secured his ankle cuff, pinning him to the wall. “Only a fool can call you ‘Black Leg’ now, eh, Your Highness?” the guard’s cackle echoed across the hallway, leaving Sanji sitting on the stone cold floors of his cell. He’s too weak to talk back, only gritting his teeth in the jail bars. Blood and rust mixed in the air inside his cell, the scent lingering in his nose and God, his mouth feels empty without a cigarette.

“It sucks doesn’t it?” a voice echoed in the cell. “Having two Emperors attack your kingdom.”

“I am _not _part of the Germa kingdom anymore,” Sanji dictated. He narrowed his eyes from the familiar voice to see the figure, but his bruised eye restricted his vision.

“Oh, but it’s in your blood… Sanji,” A faint light from the moonbeam revealed the man’s face.

“N-Niji…” he said breathlessly.

“’Sup?” he raised a hand above his head in which both were tied up. It’s been a decade since Sanji saw his brother… or one of his most despised siblings. Niji’s face changed a lot; his long bangs were cut short yet still combed to his right, both of his eyes are now showing, and his stubble is now evident on his face. He now wears eyeglasses that had small cracks instead of goggles. It had a thin and rectangular silver frame surrounding the lenses, but the ear support is painted in metallic cobalt blue. Sanji was surprised to see that there was evidence of cuts and sweat on his face.

“Are you… trying to grow facial hair like me?” Sanji said in disgust. “You know only I can look good growing one.”

Niji rolled his eyes. “You think I… would have the luxury to shave my beard now in this godforsaken prison in the past five months?” he scoffed. Sanji blinked at his answer and decided to have a little light conversation, but a faint light twinkled from one of the fingers of Niji that caught his attention.

“What the hell is that?” Sanji pointed his head towards his hand.

“Oh,” Niji glanced at his hand with a ring on his finger. “Guess I’m married.” He sarcastically shrugged. Sanji could not believe what he just heard leaving his jaw dropped and blankly staring at him from afar.

“Sanji?” Niji blinked and tilted his head at him.

“You?” Sanji murmured. “You?!” he huffed loudly. “Out of all people… Niji! Why the fuck would Judge choose you to get married and arranged to somebody else? Was it that my marriage to Pudding was a failure? Don’t you fucking tell me that you’re married to Pudding!” he almost tears the cuffs in half behind him in rage.

Niji took a deep breath and took a pause before answering his nagging brother, “Yes, I am married, no, father did not arrange a marriage for me because it is Ichiji who is the next in line to the throne and my wife is just a normal commoner without any royal blood; our wedding was private and only the family knows and a few trusted ones, so, sorry you were not invited,” he tilted his head for a pause, “And no, I’m not married to Pudding; God knows she still has feelings for you and she said it herself to Reiju while she was drunk at some point.” He finished and bit his lips with a deep sigh and a long silence followed.

“Sanji? Sanji, are you still there?” Niji raised a brow to his rock-steady brother on the other side. “Oh, sorry. I shouldn’t tell you that. Pudding would be stuck in your head forever now you know that she’s crazy in love with you.”

“Did… did you just apologize?” Sanji asked eyes widened.

“Yeah, I thought your first concern would be Pudding, since—”

“Since fucking when?! Did-Did they poison you? Brainwashed? Tortured—"

“Oh, they _are_ torturing me right now with you asking me a lot of questions.” Niji scoffed.

“It’s been fucking _ten _years, Niji!” Sanji gritted his teeth.

“That’s… understandable…” his chewed on his lips. He was ready for this to happen, and he knows that he’s been a jerk to his younger twin

Another silence followed and Sanji broke it, “Okay, last question, if you don’t mind…”

“Hm?”

“So, what happened?” he finally asked. “What happened to Germa? And…” he swallowed a lump on his throat finding the right word to say. “And the others?”

“I don’t know where to start, but Ichiji was arranged to marry one of the princesses from the Reverie, which I don’t know who it was yet and is maintaining the order of the clones and such. Reiju was assigned to be in control of the country’s trade, tourism and communications outside the kingdom. Yonji handles the military now and is working on the strategic department.” He finished.

“And Judge?”

“Oh, he died, from the war years ago.” Niji deadpans.

“And why are you here?”

“And here I thought that was the last question.” Niji groaned.

“Fine—”

“Well, I’m here because of my wife. I framed myself instead of her to be captured,” he paused.

“Why?” Sanji’s brow furrowed.

“Because you’re going to be an uncle, Sanji.” He responded and Sanji wheezed.

“E-excuse me… what now?”


	2. Chapter 1

_ She winced at the contact of the ice pack on her bruised skin. Her body felt heavy as she was surrounded by her fellow servants in the castle. Cosette could only blame herself for what happened to her… and to Sanji. After the events at the dining hall, she stood alone at the hallway daydreaming about Sanji; a few seconds later, she was black and blue thanks to the second son of Germa. She was now at the infirmary with a few maids, including Eponine, nursing her wounds. Whispers of sympathy were ringing her ears, but she was too tired to respond. _

_ A sudden slam from the door was heard and a woman rushed in the infirmary as the maids made a path for her, “Oh my God…” Reiju gasped as she saw her fragile body. “What did he do to you?” she grimaced sympathetically as she caressed her head. _

_ “Milady…” Cosette responded weakly and tried her best to smile amidst the pain. _

_ “Hey, hey… You’re gonna be fine. I promise.” she said with a reassuring smile. “I bought you some medicine and some fast healing bandages.” she took them out from a bag and applied some bandages on her scratches and wounds that affected her recovery immediately. That’s Germa technology for you. Cosette thought. _

_ ‘’Can we have a minute?” Reiju turned at the rest of the maids as they gave the two ladies some privacy. She held a deep sigh before talking to her; she may be rushing things after what had happened, but she thinks it’s for the best for Cosette. _

_ ” Look— My brothers are jerks, and I want to apologize on their behalf, and, I understand that if… if you won’t forgive them for what they did and leave this job for good.” Reiju’s fists tightened on her lap. _

_ “Oh,” Cosette drank a glass of water by the table. “I was about to tell you that, milady,” she drummed her fingers by the cold glass. She had been silent about her plans on getting out of this damned castle with one of the worst working conditions she had experienced. She held her patience with her for as long as she can in order to endure this place. _

_ “As much as I want to leave, milady, I don’t have anywhere to go home to, and- and so far, this is the only job I could have here in this kingdom. I’m saving money for the future to go somewhere far from here, someday,” she finished. She was afraid of the words that would come out of Reiju’s mouth next: Would she be disappointed? Would she replace her immediately? _

_ But Reiju responded, “Wow, Cosette, I…” She was trying to find the right words and what she could do for her. “I fully understand. I’ll try to find a way for you to get a place and a new job, you know, after this is over.” She reassured her with her gentle voice. _

You mean Sanji’s wedding._ Her heart felt heavy as the big day is fast approaching. Soon he would be wed to one of the Charlotte Daughters and live happily together; but she already knew it would come to this. He is a prince, Cosette. She kept reminding herself every day since she had met him. She could never reach his standards; especially the fact she was hiding something… _

_ “Thank you very much, milady,” Cosette still gave her best smile before continuing to rest wearily on her bed. _

* * *

Seasons have passed since Sanji’s departure.

The castle’s residents got back on their feet a few weeks after the war against Big Mom Pirates. Everything was back where they used to be. The employees were back to doing their jobs, some of the guards who died from the debacle were being cloned again back to life. And there was Cosette, still acting like the same head-chef of the family. The same routine cycle everyday: waking up early in the morning, prepare their meals at least three times a day, shop at the market for ingredients, plan for the next set of meals, and go back to sleep. Rinse and repeat.

But there was a change of routine for today: a gourmet plan for the princes’ birthday by next month. Her fellow chefs were suggesting various high-end meals for their majesties like their lives depend on it; steaks, salads, having a fountain for each sauce and dipping, and all other dainty dishes that would suit their noble guests and royalties. Chattering and clanging of pots and pans filled the kitchen as each cook busied themselves at their stations.

“It’s a good thing that this war is over, isn’t it?” one of them muttered.

“Oh, thank God it is. But now we’re back to work again for the birthday of those heartless spoiled brats!” another complained.

“You said it!”

Cosette’s mind was focused on her own duties on the chopping board when a question shook her senses, “Oh! If only Lord Sanji and Lady Reiju is here to help us!” one of the female chefs swooned.

“He would gladly help us out here, wouldn’t he? Especially since he’s a talented chef himself,” another called from the opposite counter.

“And he’s quite a gentleman too! Don’t you think, Cosette?” the sous-chef nudged her elbow on her arm.

“Yes. Yes, he is,” she agreed softly.

The sous-chef then made a grinning face at her, “What a lucky woman.”

“Do we still have enough stock of what we need for the ball?” she changed the subject rapidly.

“Hmm, let’s see…” the sous-chef checked their enormous fridge and the list posted on its door. “I’m afraid we’re still missing some of the ingredients,” she pouted as she hands her the list.

“I better get them from our supplier and have them delivered here. I’ll go to the city later to check on it myself.” Cosette curved her lips as she sighs heavily. “Well, we better get going!” she clapped her hands and rolled her sleeves.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine alone, dear? I could accompany you if you want,” the sous-chef offered.

“Thank you, but I need you here to take charge of them while I’m gone. I’ll just ask one of the maids to accompany me on my way,” she smiled at her.

* * *

“Ah! My dear lords, is this the final list for the invited guests?” the event organizer’s voice echoed the empty ballroom handling a thick book with the list and a feathered pen perched on his ear.

“Isn’t that your job, moron? Do you think we have time to read this,” Niji snatched the book from his hand, “this list of names whom we never met let alone even care about?” he pushed the hard-bound book on the man’s chest, making him lose his balance and before stepping back.

“Y-yes, my lord. I apologize,” the man scurried away from the lads and called his fellow stewards to hurry and prepare for the party.

“Man, do we have to do this again? We do nothing but stand there shaking hands with a bunch of jerks,” Yonji’s hand extends pointing at their spacious location.

“Clammy hands,” Ichiji scoffed.

“I think we know where these hands should be doing right now,” Niji’s goggles gleamed from the sunlight from the window.

The Vinsmoke lads shared one thing in common: having a lecherous trait. The three used to go to bars and brothels, sleeping with barmaids or some courtesans and prostitutes for their own entertainment, but each had a different approach on women which is not that pleasing to any normal person. Nobody wanted to know what happened after the women they have bought went out of their rooms either bruised or wounded.

Off the princes went to their favorite brothel, to Little Eden. It is an establishment that serves as the boundary between the classes of the rich and poor. The structure looked like a normal manse from the outside, but as one enters, the acrid smell of drugs and the sounds of pleasure—or even pain filled the room.

But silence followed when the blue-bloods came in.

Voyeurism is not uncommon to these lads as they would watch some men pleasing themselves with women as they would slam or grind their bodies against each other. Yonji did not hesitate to steal one of the girls in an orgy and pulled her hair, forcing her to kiss him. He then parted and tossed her effortlessly like a rug on a leather couch and smacked her exposed ass, making the woman gasped when he left hand prints on both of her cheeks. Ichiji rolled his eyes beneath his lenses at his brother’s boorish behavior and heads to the reception to present premium pass to the VIP room entirely for his own. Niji, however, was approached by a couple of harlots that seemed used and wasted.

He brushed them off as he walked pass through them and stormed, “Don’t you have any fresh recruits around here?”

The receptionist, who was a middle aged, bulbous woman stammered, “I—We haven’t since the war, m-my lord. Unfortunately, some of them died and we just used up all the finances to refurbish our establishment,” she smiled nervously, showing him her blackened teeth.

He gritted his teeth, flared his nose at her and blasted one of the chandeliers with by the lobby with electricity, letting it crash on the marbled floors as shards of diamonds flew in different directions. The guests immediately shunned from the scene before erupting with squeals and gasps around the broken chandelier. Niji stormed out of the manse with a bang, leaving the people outside in stunned silenced at his presence before darting their eyes away from him; but two maids caught his eye as they rushed from the scene.

He might just have been seeing things.

“He never loses his cool at times, doesn’t he?” Ichiji eyed one of the ladies surrounding him, as distant chattering can still be heard from outside his room.

“Indeed, my lord.” One of them starts kneeling in front of his erection.

* * *

“The city has been quite lively by these past weeks, isn’t it ma’am?” the young maid commented as the townspeople were blanketed in vibrant mood as they watched children running and a few of the Germa men hanging the royal seals and banners on different posts for the upcoming royal celebration.

“I think so, but as soon as the day dra 69ws closer, this kingdom might be not as lively because of the closing of the roads and a few restrictions around the streets welcoming noble guests.” Cosette replied, eyeing on the men at work.

“Where should we head first, ma’am?” asked the young maid.

“Hm, to the butcher, I think. It says here on the list that we’re lacking meat the most,” Cosette lowered her gaze on the list, deaf to the thumping sounds of heavy hooves approaching.

“Look out, milady!” the young maiden shouted as she pulled Cosette, narrowly avoiding a rushing stallion, hooves caked with mud and splattering on them. They both grunted in disgust and brushed themselves off.

“My God! Are— are you okay?” the young maid observed the horse on the loose; it was missing its rider. She faced Cosette and checked if she was hurt.

“I- I’m fine, thank you,” she assured her. “Where’s the list?” she searched only to find it drenched in a puddle.

“Oh no…”

“No worries, I think we’re still good without the list. I managed to memorize it and it’s not that long,” she smiled and eyed on their dirty clothes, “And we need to hurry back to change,” she giggled.

The two lasses then head to the butcher shop. It was huge and they could see lifeless pigs and cows hooked above with their entrails gutted out and their ribs exposed. The smell of blood lingers as the boy at work mopped the oozing blood to the drainage.

A huge man greeted them with a bloodied apron and no shirt beneath, clutching a saw with his gloved hand. “It’s you again, miss.” He grinned at them, showing his gold canine tooth. The young maid gulped at his frightening appearance and clutched her skirt.

“Oh, this? Hehe,” the butcher swung his saw and hid it behind his back, “I’m sorry that scared you lassies off. I was in the middle of my job,” he then placed his saw elsewhere and out of sight. “What brings you here, eh?”

“Ah, yes. We’re here to check and ask for a new supply of meat for the celebration.” Cosette tried to keep her wits about her despite being in such an unkempt environment where the sound of pigs being butchered echoed against the walls.

The butcher read their expressions and hummed, “This ain’t the right place to talk, do it?” he guided them towards an office.

“Poor piggies,” the young maid muttered.

“Ah, yes. But such is life, my dear.” The man replied. They made arrangements as Cosette told him what they needed for a few minutes as the man showed them the fresh supplies until she was content with the quality and quantity that he offered. He then asks for her signature and assured them that it would be delivered in no time before waving the two goodbye.

“What’s next, ma’am?” the maid asks.

Cosette hummed and thought with a finger tapping on her lips, “If my memory serves me right, we should go shop for a few vegetables, sweets, and some dairy. I think I could just make a call to order the greens, but the sweets and dairy is what we should prioritize, for now,” she recalled as the maid followed.

The marketplace was a few blocks away and as they passed by, a sudden bang resounded along with the start of a commotion nearby, making the maid jumped a bit in surprise.

“What was that?” the maid sounded concerned.

“Just, let it slide. Maybe it’s just a little roughhousing or a mishap. Let’s take a different route for now, shall we?” Cosette faked a giggle and tapped her back to keep moving on.

But she didn’t.

She remembered this area; where the rich and the poor would sate their lecherous needs day and night just to escape from their problems. Never a day she wouldn’t curse her past life as a woman from that damned place. Cosette’s chest felt heavy for a moment at that time as she clutched her wrist to keep herself from shedding a tear.

“Are you alright, miss?” the maid asked. “We’re already here at the market,” she reminded her.

“Oh, yes, I’m fine. You’ll go to the sweets; I’ll handle the dairy. We’ll meet here by the entrance once you’re finished.” she instructed as the maid nodded and parted ways.

_ What am I doing? _Cosette shook her head and inhaled to calm herself do her job.

Two hours had passed and Cosette now clutched a trolley with a few batches of their various dairy needs. She waited for her company for a few minutes who later returned with bags in her hands.

“Ah, ma’am, there you are,” she heaved tiredly. “The supplier said he’ll also have the cakes and other sweets delivered a week before the event, so I only got us what we could work on first.” She showed her bags filled with chocolate bars, sweets, and other decorative needs for their plating.

“Well done, I also did the same, so we could just carry what we need for now,” Cosette was impressed at the newly recruited maiden, “I think we should call a ride back home since we can’t carry all of these!” she complained mockingly.

They called a carriage on their way back to the castle and headed straight to the kitchen.

“Thank goodness you’re here!” the sous-chef greeted them as she wipes her hands with a cloth before helping them with their groceries. “Gracious! What happened to your clothes?” she frowned at their dirtied dresses.

“Oh, you have no idea what we’ve been through, ma’am!” the young maid reported. “Miss Cosette here was almost ran through by a rampaging horse on the streets, Then, later, we just heard a loud bang nearby and—”

“You almost got ran through by a horse?!” the sous-chef parroted in horror as all the heads inside the kitchen turned to them.

“I’m quite alright now. I only got a little dirty, because thanks to her we managed to avoid any incidents,” she turns to the young maid as she lowers her head in embarrassment.

“Thank God, I’m glad you’re alright,” the sous-chef sighs heavily. “Oh, and the Second Prince requested his meal to be served at his room. Apparently, he won’t be eating with his siblings,” the sous-chef walks closer to Cosette and whispered. “I think he is in a bad mood,” she rolled her eyes and made a face.

“He always does,” Cosette fixed her hair and went to her station, “I got that covered,” she rolled her sleeves and washed her hands to work

* * *

The sun is down and Niji heads to his room with heavy feet. He ignored every person he passed by except that one servant whom he demanded his dinner to be served in his quarters instead. He cools his head down in the shower, standing still to let the cool waters cascade down his body. He was still irritated at the fact he was the one who invited his brothers to that brothel, yet he was the one who got nothing because of his behavior.

Well it wasn’t his fucking fault they didn’t have the right whores to please him. He knew his brothers got the expenses covered for the broken chandelier and how fucking satisfied they were when they get home. He finally stepped out from his bath, dried himself and had his long hair tied in a man bun, but a few bangs still covered his right eye. He wears a shirt, yet he prefers them unbuttoned, his lounge pants and remained barefooted. He went to his desk made of redwood topped with transparent glass. He looked at the premier passes on his desktop and slid it visibly under the glass top of the table.

He heard a few knocks on his door later, “Yes?” he called.

“It’s your dinner, milord.” A familiar voice of a woman called.

He wore his signature goggles before answering the door wide open, “Oh, it’s you. Cooking wench.” He addressed his moniker to her in monotone as Cosette blinked at his appearance. She had a food tray on her hands and her fingers twitched as she had never seen Niji in lesser clothes and his masculine body exposed to her. She caught a glimpse of his signature Germa tattoo at his lower back and lowered her head immediately.

“Are you just going to stand there?” He called back at her in the room.

“Ah, yes, my lord. I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” she entered the room as she closed the door from behind with her foot.

“Just place it on my desk,” he instructed as he observes her silent obedience by his bed. From there, he saw her freeze a bit which made one of his utensils fall on his carpeted floor.

“Oh! I humbly apologize for my clumsiness, my lord. I’ll go back to get you a new one,” she lowers her head and proceeds to exit as he lets out a grunt in annoyance.

“Just wash that in the bathroom, you’ll just make your life miserable scurrying back to the kitchen just to get me a fork,” he deadpans as she obeyed. He walks by his desk and wonders why she froze at that time. The utensils were disarranged near by where his passes from the brothel are placed. He cocked an eyebrow and squinted his eyes at Cosette as she steps out from the bathroom with the now cleaned fork in her hand.

“Cosette,” he called. “Did you happened to take a little stroll with one of the maids this day?”

She pursed her lips before she answered, “Yes. We were by the town to grocer what we need for your upcoming celebration, my lord.” She placed the fork by the tray.

“Hmm.” He sat on his desk and turned on the lamp by his side.

“Is there anything else you need, my lord?”

“Just stay there and wait for me until I finish.” Niji starts slicing a piece of steak on his plate as silence filled the room other than his utensils clacking by his porcelain platter. She stood by near his fireplace that was opposite to his view.

* * *

Cosette tries to erase the passes from her memory as she watched him enjoy his dinner from afar.

_ How could he eat with his abdomen exposed in front of her?! _It’s not that she was staring but she tried to avoid looking at him anyway as she lowered her head and stood steadily, trying to ignore her famished stomach after so much activity today. She hadn't eaten after their strolling this morning till afternoon. His meal was interrupted when he heard a growl from her stomach. He scoffed as he placed down his utensils by his side.

“Oh, don’t mind me, my lord. I’m sorry to interrupt your meal,” she clutched her stomach as her other hand fisted her skirt.

“Hungry now, Cosette?” he wiped his stained lips with a napkin provided by his side.

“Unfortunately, I am, my lord,” she replied meekly.

“I’m actually done. You could finish the rest,” he purposely left a third of his meal as he buttoned his shirt back in place before opting to read a book from the shelf on his bed.

“Excuse me, my lord.” Cosette then exits his room with the tray in her hands, sighing heavily at the wasted food. _ He didn’t actually think that I would eat his leftovers, right? _ She scowled at the tray and throws them into the kitchen’s garbage bin.

“So, why do you think he’s pissed?” one of the chefs hissed a whisper.

“I heard he went to that brothel again,” the other responded.

“Aye, those lads are very lecherous snakes!” the sous-chef agreed. “Well now, Cosette, how did you manage to serve Lord Niji today?” she turned to her.

“Oh, I managed fine. But, please. I’m quite hungry today; I haven’t eaten for a while,” she smiled wearily.

“Ah, of course! Hurry now and eat, dear! We’ll manage things here,” she shooed Cosette to have her meal made on her own and peacefully by the mess room. She slouched and thought of the truth staring her right in the face; her masters were patrons of the brothel she previously worked at.

She grunted, feeling as if she had just lost her appetite at the thought of it.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have a thought that uploading my chapters should have a one week gap or even longer, unlike before that was updating every two to three days if that's okay with you guys... So, as you may have noticed from the tags, I added “Out of Character” (OOC). I want to make clear that Cosette’s character may change as we go further in this story. I decided her character to be a fighter and not to remain as the submissive and timid to the royalties as per her background story. 
> 
> Also, a big thanks to my dear college friend, YamiAlex for being my beta reader for this story~ Check out her works too here at AO3! (More notes at the end.)

That night, Cosette went back to her quarters. She may live inside the castle, but it was just the typical servant’s quarters that was located far from the luxurious walls draped in furs and banners. Their hallway is only lit by the natural light of the sun or moon, yet there were still times one may need a candle or a lamp to walk beneath the dark of the night.

Her room was sparsely furnished and quite compact which made it easier to stay organized.

She had a single window, but its paint was already fading away; the walls were also painted a light apricot with a small ceiling fan to ventilate the room. It was rusty and needed to be oiled because of its hinging noises. She had her own cabinet, a bathroom, and a small bed. Her mattress was only four inches thin and it hurts her back at times, making it so she could barely sleep.

She changed into her nightgown, revealing her scars; she grunts at the sight of her scarred body in the mirror. Well, at least no one would ever see them, much more dare to lay a finger on her and that’s the advantage. Her cuts almost reached her wrists so no one would be able to see them during work.

“I got it from an accident,” was her only excuse once someone saw them. Hearing the rather mundane cause, they would then just reply with a hum or frown then nod before leaving the conversation as is. She traced her fingers on her healing scars and sighed; she used to cut herself to ease her, or even to worsen her scars so the customers would avoid her once they would strip her off.

It bugs her when his passes flashed in her memory. She sat on her thin mattress and reached for her blade from the drawer beside her bed and thought she could add more cuts on her when they would attempt to have her. She wonders which spot she would mark herself and found a clean space on her inner thigh. She lifts the skirts of her night gown and made her first cut. It was thin and an inch long; it stings a few seconds later. She added a few more and another on the other thigh.

She clenched her teeth by the stinging sensation and took a deep breath before she could pat her bleeding skin with a tissue by her drawer and patched them up with band-aids.

* * *

A new morning dawned at Germa and big news spread like a wildfire worldwide projecting different expressions and opinions from everyone at the kingdom. Cosette felt her heart beat faster when she heard the news. She was overwhelmed at the victory of Sanji with his crewmates against Big Mom and to their next journey to fight Kaidou at Wano and his newly increased bounty. She can’t wait to hear what’s next of his becoming. Reiju felt the same. The moment she read the newspaper a tear trickled down her cheek out of happiness. She was happy and proud of her dear younger brother as she went to their mother’s grave.

Cosette started her day in the kitchen, making sure that their royal majesties had a fresh set of meals in the morning. She served them on their table personally as always and watched the family from afar as they ate and started talking about the agenda for the kingdom.

“Father, can’t we just limit the number of guests for our celebration?” Niji suggested as slides a steak back and forth with his fork on his plate.

“I already took that in for consideration, but the kingdom’s new innovations also needs exposure, especially since we made a few upgrades with our army and technology.” Judge made a clear dictation. “Speaking of which, you gave Sanji his own Raid Suit without my notice,” his tone suddenly changes as his voice echoed across the whole room.

“Yes, I gave him one to remind him that he is too weak on his own,” Niji explained. “I suppose there will come a day he will use it out of desperation.”

“His bounty suddenly increased recently,” Reiju slid the morning newspaper on the table showing her brother’s updated wanted poster. Judge hummed, expressing good feedback from him as he raised his brows on the paper with Sanji’s added family name.

“He did make a great contribution from the previous mishap,” he admitted. “Yet, he will not be joining you on your celebration this month.”

“What are you talking about, father?” Niji’s grip on his fork almost bend the metal. “That lowly pirate son of yours hasn’t joined us in our pitiful birthday party for years and now you’re longing for him?” he clenched his teeth at the thought of it.

“No. He has a life of his own. It’s up to him if he would return to us or not.” Judge implied. “Sanji is now on his way to Wano with his captain, who is now one of the Emperors.”

The family’s breakfast became silent in that moment. Niji left the table early with his unfinished meal on his plate as the rest of his siblings remained seated. Hearing that his younger brother is moving forward and getting their father’s appraisal ticked him off. He heads out again from the castle to the brothel again; but this time, he is alone. He did not let his brothers know for indeed that he needs to be paid back for what happened the other night.

On his way, he noticed the chattering of the streets as a few noblemen and women were now entering the kingdom early. They strolled through the kingdom, touring the fascinating scenery and some of their known landmarks and shops to buy some souvenirs. And of course, who couldn’t miss the famous talk-of-the-town brothel around the kingdom? As Niji moved closer to the gloomy establishment, the entrance was almost crowded with some of the noblemen clutching cash with their hands and were disarranged just to have a woman—or rather, women of their choice.

“Hey! I came here first, man!”

“Get your ass off me!”

Niji just rolled his eyes from the squabble and just walked straight for the vacant davenport a few meters near the reception. He was later approached by a woman and served him his favorite drink provided with a glass, a bucket of ice, and a bottle of scotch.

“It seems were going to be a full house within these next few days, my lord,” the woman opens the bottle and leans on his shoulder as her fingers played his tie. He replied with a hum and drank from his cold glass as his hand caressed her exposed thigh on him. The brothel was quite boisterous as each man by the reception were raising their voices as the attendants were heeding their needs.

“Why, it’s been a while since I got here,” a nobleman asked loudly as he observes the brothel. “A lot has been changed, especially your new fresh supplies.” He smiled at the women pleasuring other customers. “But I suppose you still have one of my favorites? Cosette?”

_ Cosette? _

“Ah, unfortunately, milord. She’s not working here anymore,” the receptionist replied hastily as she arranges a book as if she was listing something by the table.

“Oh? Where is she now?” He blinked.

“That, I don’t know milord.”

“Hm, I suppose that’s none of my business,” he reached something in his breast pocket, “Room for five,” he slid a premium pass and a few bills to the receptionist.

Niji stilled for a moment when he heard her name. He wasn’t talking about the same Cosette from the castle, isn’t he? After all, the harlot might only have the same name as her. He thought of wanting to clarify the information, but he waited until the man out of his sight.

* * *

“Cosette! Lady Reiju wants your presence in her room,” the sous chef called holding a Den-Den Mushi on her hands.

“Alright, tell her I’ll be there,” she rinsed her hands and unrolled her sleeves. She wonders what she might need; it’s too early for a snack since she had her breakfast this morning. She knocks on her door once she arrived at her room.

“Come in, Cosette,” her greeting put Cosette at ease. Usually, the rest of the Vinsmokes would just answer, “Come in,” or open the door with a frown.

“Excuse me, my lady,” she lowers her head as Reiju lets her enter in her room.

“Nonsense! There would be no formalities when we’re alone together!” Reiju’s hands rests on Cosette’s shoulders and pushed her to sat on her bed. Oh, her bed is so bouncy. It makes her want to lay down on the soft fabric and snuggle under the soft sheets of her blankets.

“Is there’s something you need, miss— I mean Reiju,” she stammered at the new address to call her.

“You’ve heard the news, right?” She asked in excitement.

“Why yes! I’m very happy for your success,” Cosette smiled back at her. “So, Lord Sanji did not come home with you?” She suddenly asked.

“Yes,” Reiju sighed, “I’m going to miss that dear brother of mine.”

“And, the wedding?”

She frowned as she answered, “It was a disaster. Turns out it was just a setup of Big Mom to kill us at the ceremony,” she shook her head and rolled her eyes at the memory; she then saw Cosette mouthed an “Oh,” as she blinked from the thought. She noticed there was relief from her expression that made Reiju giggle.

“Wha- what is it, my lady?” asked Cosette.

“Do you like Sanji?” She cocked her eyebrow at her that made Cosette’s cheeks flushed a bright red.

“N-no, milady! I-I mean, I do like him… as a prince and nothing more!” she plastered her hands on her heated cheeks.

“Oh?” Reiju teased and let her at ease for a moment when she asked her, “So, uhm, about your leave,” she cleared her throat, “I’m afraid I can’t do it now quite yet because the kingdom has been very busy for my brothers’ birthday,” she sighed as she held her hands on her bed. “I’m so sorry, Cosette. I think you need to wait for a bit.”

“Oh, you don’t have to apologize, Miss Reiju! I do understand your position as well as I am also busy in preparing their set of meals for their birthday,” her hands tighten around Reiju’s.

“Thank you, Cosette,” Cosette’s eyes widened when the princess pulls her for a hug. 

* * *

Niji rose from his seat when the reception is clear from the crowd. “Hey,” he roared, and the receptionist jumped from her seat when interrupted checking on a list.

“Y-Yes, milord?” she squeaked; still traumatized from what happened the last time.

“There was a whore here working named Cosette?” he then asked.

“I will answer that question, my young prince,” a voice whispered on his shoulder. He turned his head around and saw a woman in her forties. She had long, dark curly hair. She was donned in black and gold robe, exposing the cleavage of her large breasts. A thin cigarette rests between her fingers. “Come with me,” she said as waft of smoke escaped from her glossed lips.

Niji followed the woman she leads them into her office. It was lit with a single chandelier, big enough to light up the whole room. It was painted in purple with black fleur-de-lis in between black, thin, vertical lines.

“Is this an excuse to go private with me?” He scoffed as he observes her searching on her large drawer.

“Want something to drink?” She ignores his query and placed a folder on her table.

“I left my bottle of scotch outside,” he deadpans as he seats in front of her desk. “But I guess I’m fine.”

“Hm,” she shrugged and sat in front of him. “I suppose the name ‘Cosette’ rings a bell to you, prince,” she passes a file towards him and opens a long folder with a few papers clipped along with a small photo of a young girl.

“My guess is correct then,” he scans her profile. “Mind telling me how’d she end up here?” he lowers the folder on his lap.

“Young Cosette came from Wano,” she started. “She was an illegitimate child of one of the courtesans there and an outsider. Her mother disowned her because women of such occupations are not allowed to bear a child. She was a girl from the streets who ate scraps, but as soon as she grew into a fine, young woman, her foreign beauty projected and attracted the men of that country.” She paused observing the prince listening intently. “She went here as an escapee from a trading ship and was caught by one of the sailors. Fascinated by her beauty, they made her serve their lecherous needs in their solitary adventures in the seas. I met young Cosette when she was thirteen, when one of the sailors sold her to us at a great price in exchange for her good will. Unfortunately, I didn’t grant his wish immediately because of my state of living. But I promised him that someday I will find her a better job when the time comes.” She paused and huffed a smoke from her cigarette.

“For another three years, she worked as a prostitute here, and it wasn’t easy. She took beatings from different men and was shared at times when we have plenty of customers. Cosette was a dear young lass. She even nurses her colleagues when they’re hurt and always wears a façade to keep them strong at times,” the woman smiled from a nostalgic thought.

“You’re telling me she learned how to cook in a brothel?” the prince scoffed.

“She learned it from me. I took her home since she doesn’t know anyone here. I admit that cooking is one of my hobbies and I do it in my free time at home. As she was in living with me, I taught her all the things she had never experienced as a child like reading, writing, and I even allowed her to keep some books for entertainment. She was quite a bookworm when she nags me into buying her books! That sweet lass lived a life she didn’t deserve.” She sighed.

“You can cook but decided to be a whore instead?” She eyed him at his question for a moment and puts off her cigarette on an ash tray.

“Luckily, I happened to hear from one of my customers that they were offering a job to be a head chef of to your royal family. I thought she would do good there since nobody would suspected her and she works behind the scenes, so I decided to bring her the news and prepped her for the opportunity. I made a fake background for her and she applied to be one of your employees.” She finished.

“She was quite famous here, isn’t she?” Niji stares at her photo again from the file.

“I hope you got what you want to know and promise me never tell this to any soul,” she pleaded, “How is she doing by the way? I wish to see her someday.” From what he heard from her: he suspects that this woman treats Cosette like her own daughter; it was a good thing he didn’t mention he mauled her one time.

“She’s fine,” was all he said before heading out of her office.

* * *

That afternoon, Cosette was asked to get a new batch of greens from the market, but this time, she was alone with a basket in her hands. The kitchen staff had been very busy as the celebration drew near. As she passed by, she saw some of the Germa clones arranging roads and a few nobles wandering around the street. She was about to change the route to avoid the gloomy place near the brothel, but it was blocked for a detour that would force her to pass the usual road to the marketplace.

There was a mixed of classes along the area. She was watching a few children peek through the glass as they would drool over the tasty pastries displayed by the glass window, but later the store owner shooed them away from the door as he complained that they would block his freshly baked cakes and pastries. She frowned at the sight as she continued her work ahead, but she suddenly bumped into someone near the alley.

“Hey, watch where you’re looking, woman!” a drunk man snarled at her as the impact made him drop his bottle of beer.

“I- I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“What’s going on here, eh?” another called. He had a few companions that witnessed the scene.

“Now look at you did, you bitch!” the man stooped down, picked up his bottle and checked if there was anything more left.

“Ahh!” he pushed her in the alley until her back hit the wall and threw his now empty bottle at her side.

“And how are you going to repay this now?” his breath reeked of alcohol as he drew closer to her. She heard the other man whistling behind him as she was surrounded and eyed on the shard glass of bottle; he was so close he could almost touch her when she ducked and hit his groin with her knee.

The man winced in pain as his companions oohed by Cosette’s reckless attack; she snatched a broken glass from the bottle and cut his right eye. He screamed in pain and growled at her as he covered his bleeding right eye. She saw this as her chance of escape yet one of his companions made her trip down the jagged floor of the alleyway as she tasted of the dirty puddle and oozing blood from the cut of her lower lip. One of them grabbed her hair from behind, pins her on the wall, and covers her mouth with his bloodied hand; little did he know that she snatched his blade from his pocket when his body pressed against hers.

“You fucking bitch!” the blinded man now carries the broken glass and points it at her eye. “You know what they say, ‘An eye for an eye’.” she took a sharp breath before the attempt but there was a sudden strand of electricity was seen right before it landed on her eye. This slight momentum made her dodge and kicked the man away from her as his body was hit from the electric blue emitted from the man standing there.

It was the Second Prince.

Some of the men scurried away when he gave them a warning when he flashed his electric hands at them.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Niji said calmly. “A wretched woman like you shouldn’t be here for her first rodeo—” he was cut off when she revealed a weapon from her hand and stabbed an enemy from his back when she threw her knife through the man’s forehead, leaving the prince’s eyes wide open beneath his goggles.

“Want me to say thank you, then?” he snorted in reply as she walked behind him.

“No, my lord.” She replied, but turned her head back, “And, just so you know, this isn’t my first rodeo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again~ You may noticed I have recycled but modified a few scenes here from my previous fic XD   
Second, I will be updating my story a little late, unlike the 3-5 days gap since I just finished college and it's my step to adulthood. (^7^) Also, I'm currently reviewing for a Civil Service Exam in my country that I need to pass AHAHAH. So anyways... Thank you again for being patient with me in this story and see you in the next chap~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been a while. I've been quite busy for my review for a government exam and adulting stuff, so, thank you so much for your patience! My beta reader wasn't also available at the moment because she's also busy in her Master's Degree. So if you guys want to be my Beta reader, drop me a mail at the inbox~

The sun sets with the streets crowded beneath its view and Cosette’s appearance took a few scars as the orange beam revealed her face when she stepped out from the alley.

“Okay boys, nothing to see here.” Niji shooed the chattering crowd away. “Just another drinking banter, that’s all.”

“You call this a banter?!” Cosette hissed under her breath, trying to hide her face from the crowd as she gathers her things in her basket. She walked fast away from the scene as she hears people whisper sympathies at her as they made a path for her.

She hasn’t done her job that time and reported the mishap later in the kitchen. She was surrounded with questions by the rest of the kitchen staff, but the sous chef hushed them and lets Cosette went into her room to rest.

Morning started again with the same routine, but Cosette was absent during the day and asked the sous chef to fill in for her today because she wasn’t feeling well. She looked at her reflection and treats her small wound on her lip, she was relieved that her cuts weren’t severed, but she had several small bruises on her shoulders and on her dominant right arm.

Cosette undresses herself to have a nice bath as she stepped onto the cold porcelain of her small bathtub. Finally, she has her alone time to relax with the water on her body to ease her mind from this debacle. She wraps her arms around her knees and rests her head by the cold tiles and took a deep sigh to feel rejuvenated.

“Are you expecting someone that you didn’t locked your door?” a masculine voice was heard from her bathroom door.

“N-no,” she called as she hurriedly wrapped a towel around her, pacing her way through the door to lock, but the knob suddenly turns and opened with Niji standing by the door frame.

“Oh, you’re not expecting. You’re inviting,” he smiled at her wrapped body as she walked into the tub.

“C-can’t we just talk later? I want to take a bath first,” she stammered and slid the shower curtain to cover herself.

“You can enjoy your bath while we talk,” he deadpans and leans by the wall watching her naked body’s silhouette behind the curtain wrapping her arms around her legs with her head resting on her knees.

“Look, I’m used to see a naked body of a woman, so you don’t need to hide yourself,” he suddenly opens the curtain.

“Yes,” she mumbled, “But not mine,” she swiftly closes the curtain again. “And that doesn’t mean I’m inviting you, my lord,” she remained respectful beside her irritated tone.

Niji’s mind process the image from what he saw. Her body was a mess; her back was full of marks. He can tell they were cuts from bullwhips and caning, some of them were burns from cigarettes that were etched on her back that almost dominated her freckles. Her limbs were patched with scars. He knew that there were still more but her sitting position and her immediate reflexes restricted him from seeing more.

He just can’t wait to undress her so bad.

“Since when did you learn how to defend yourself?” He dropped the question.

“I just know how… it was just an instinct.”

“You said that wasn’t your first rodeo,” he recalled. She felt her fingers twitched on her knees knowing that she slipped yesterday.

“I was a child from the slums back then. It was a usual thing for me,” she stretched her legs.

“Have you tried to murder someone then?” his question made her froze by the water; that made a trigger to raise her voice at him.

“If I ever… killed someone, my lord, then, what that does make you?” she snapped.

Now she had done it.

Cosette’s new personality piqued his interest. Back then, she was just a silent, obedient, and a submissive wench that the castle hired to be the head-chef, but to what happened yesterday was a whole new discovery of him. And recently, she had the audacity to raise her tone at him in her room. He could’ve mauled her for that, so why didn’t he?

Niji spared this thought in their gazebo as his finger circles on the rim of his glass. He has been thinking to visit the brothel again to ask a few questions about the man who desires Cosette’s presence for his own, but he doesn’t want to meddle with the rowdy customers again like yesterday.

“What’s bothering you?” a voice called. It was his sister.

“Nothing,” he denies.

“You’ve been staring at your glass while playing its rim.” Reiju pulled the chair and sat and placed her chin on the back of her hand, looking interestingly at his brother.

“It’s nothing,” he repeated and drank a scotch in his glass. “It’s just father’s commentary about Sanji bothers me.” He changed his topic.

“Oh?” she raised her brow, “Why so?”

“It’s odd for him to long for that asshole for such a long time to our birthday party.”

“But did he really said that he _misses_ him, though?” she smiled.

“No, but…” he paused at the thought. “It just pisses me off, Reiju.”

“Are you jealous?”

“Huh, should _I _be jealous of his pathetic state of being?” he crushed his glass with his fist and stood from his seat as Reiju watches him drag his heavy feet away.

* * *

“I heard that the prince was saw at the scene yesterday,” one of the kitchen staff gossips.

“Of course, he would be there! The scene was just nearby their favorite brothel,” another added.

Cosette now regrets getting up from the bed to get some food in the kitchen when the topic from yesterday was brought up.

“I’m just happy that you were alright, Cosette,” the sous chef hugged her from behind but Cosette reacted in pain when the chef pressured on her bruise. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” she looked at her worriedly.

“No, but I’m not feeling so well,” she made a fake smile at her. “I need to go back in my room.”

“Just ring us down here if you need anything, dear,” she assures her.

The night fell and Cosette spent most of her day in her room to rest and do some reading her old books that she used to have when she was young with a small lamp by her small table beside her bed. Her mind tries to focus on the stories printed on the pages just to forget everything that happened within this month.

_Why everything suddenly got worse?_ She thought heavily. Things got escalated quickly after Sanji left.

“Sanji,” she whispered his name so softly out of nowhere. She stared into her windows and remembered a certain déjà vu. She grunts at the bitter memory she earned from the second prince. That was the day she hated him. Moreover, herself. That was the day that suspicions were starting to germinate. Slacking in her room alone did not help her any better. She felt the need to stretch her legs and spend some time in the kitchen, because those were only the two places she could at least be free.

The clock read half past one in the morning and her head was still heavy from being on her bed for a long time, yet she dared to went out from her quarters to fill her stomach. Just a slice of cake or a sandwich wouldn’t hurt, right? After all, she deserves a laxing treat to herself. She inserts the key; to her surprise, the knob was not locked. Her fingers shook at the cold contact of the knob as she slowly enters the kitchen.

Her vision was still blurry from being groggy, “Lord… Sanji?” She gaped and froze to the man who is enjoying his late-night liquor as he raised a brow at her. Cosette realizes her mistake when the man moved into the moonbeam and revealed his face.

_Why him, out of all people? _

“Oh, I-I’m sorry, milord. I thought you were—”

“That asshole?” Niji placed the bottle on the counter audibly. “Well, we can’t help that, can we? Seeing me without my googles and my hair tied and fixed like this for the first time… It’s like you can’t tell the difference with your problematic vision,” he seethed at her as he corners her against the cold wall.

“I-I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I’m sorry that I disturbed you. I must head back to my room.”

“No, you can’t,” he dictated, “I’m intrigued when you blushed that you thought of me as Sanji; that concludes have feelings for him, don’t you, woman?” his low octave rang her ear as he lean and whispered on her side.

“Cosette,” she gasped when Niji changed his voice… like Sanji’s. “Cosette, I missed you so much.” He nipped at her lobe and planted a kiss on her jaw. “There’s never a day that I didn’t long for you,” his thumb brushed her lower lip as his knee tried to spread her legs. She could feel his hot breath on her neck as he continued to trail wild kisses on her.

_Oh, if only_. She thought.

That one-time encounter with Sanji protecting her from her cynical master made her fall with a Vinsmoke that she never thought of.

Her knees wobbled from those sentences and felt her tears forming around her eyes. Touching and talking to her with Sanji’s voice distracted her on making a move; but she is aware that the man kissing her is not Sanji.

She clenched her fists on her side and pushed Niji away then a hard slap landed on his face. She was aware of Niji’s voice imitation abilities and his actions disheartened her for playing with her feelings to Sanji.

“Don’t you ever mock to me like that, my lord… It’s not funny,” she gritted with tears forming around her eyes and stormed away from the kitchen with a loud bang at the door. Niji stood froze seeing her walk away and turned his head facing the window and groaned at his reflection. The resemblance is close enough, except the direction of the curl on his brows is different, his missing stubble, and his long hair is tied resting on his shoulder.

He smashed the window with his fist and shards of glass flew in different directions; he sighed loudly and clenched his fists by the counter.

“Shit…” he hissed.

Oh, fuck his thoughts, even if Sanji wasn’t his brother, she would not even like a man like him.

Cosette threw herself on her bed and buried her face on her pillow, weeping between her curses to the second prince and longing for the third prince.

“Just how dare he!” she whimpers to herself and clutches and hit on her pillow to release her anger, but she immediately retracts hurtfully when she felt a sudden pain on her wrist. Her guess was right when she realized that she snapped her wrist; but she was relieved it was not that severe. She wrapped herself with some bandages to held it in place and positioned herself on the bed.

She knows that she is powerless to get rid of Niji. Hell, she knows that Sanji might even forgot about her after he left. He might even find a woman that he would love and cherish forever; that thought made her chest heavier. All she wanted was for her to get out of this damned castle and to end with it.

That night, Cosette cried herself to sleep.

Niji still remembers the impact of her hand on his face. He felt numb by it because of his exoskeleton, but letting a servant hit him was a huge degradation as a Vinsmoke. He wished that she snapped her wrist by the impact and never be able to work for a week. To his surprise, Cosette was present and was there to serve their dishes on the table, and he did notice the bandage wrapping her wrist that was hiding underneath her sleeve.

“Are you working yourself too much that you broke your wrist, Cosette?” Niji asked sternly.

“Indeed, I am, milord,” the chef replied calmly. “Besides, your birthday celebration is approaching so I must double the effort to it.”

“Hmm, at least it’s good that you’re aware of the time,” Ichiji began to slice his piece of steak. “And speaking of, I guess a number of notable guests will be absent in line with the Levely.”

“Oh? The meeting of the royalties, huh? I guess it would be just their ambassadors who would join us this time,” Yonji added. “And here I am looking forward into dancing to one of the princesses of Alabasta or Dressrosa. Heck, I even plan to marry one of them,” he complained.

“You’re the youngest here so you don’t have the right to get married first,” Niji reacted.

“I didn’t say to marry_ now_, idiot. Keep in mind, we’re quadruplets,” Yonji answered back.

“Yeah, but still the last one who came out,” Niji darted as his lips touching his wine glass. Yonji almost felt his feet drag out from the table to attack his brother.

“Boys,” Reiju interjected. “Mealtime is mealtime. You can go negotiate your futile bickering after we eat.” The two princes did not say anything afterwards until they finished their meal.

“Cosette, serve my afternoon snack by three in the afternoon in my quarters in person. Don’t be late.” Niji left his table and passed by Cosette who was standing by the corner.

“Will do, my lord,” she lowered her head as he passes by. Reiju was bothered when he heard his command. Niji never had any of their chefs serve his afternoon snack in his quarters. Usually he would just ring a call below the kitchen and a maid would just knock and leave the meal by the doorstep. She was much bothered when he asked Cosette out of all people to serve him, with a broken wrist. She wanted to confront his brother but doing this might get her brothers into suspicion of her being empathic. 

* * *

Reiju is known being the “Guardian Angel” in the Vinsmoke household. The staffs were always close to her known for her kindness, understandable, and courageous woman. She would tend the wounds of the beaten workers discreetly from her brothers and would offer a nice small talk when one would clean or serve her in her quarters. She even gives simple gifts to every personnel during their birthdays. Her existence itself is their hope for humanity in the Vinsmoke household.

In return, they serve her with gratification and give her the utmost respect. And most importantly, never tell her angelic personality to the rest of the family for the benefit of the protection of the princess and themselves.

Reiju was worried about Cosette’s wrist and went to her quarters to hand her some medicine and bandages for healing. She knocks on her door and it was opened slowly with a bandaged hand.

“Milady,” Cosette greeted, “May I help you?”

“That’s my line, Cosette. What happened to your arm?” she eyed on her wrist as she entered her room.

“It is what Lord Niji said, milady. I worked so hard that I snapped my wrist,” Cosette lowered her head and hides her injured hand behind.

“How did it snap?” Reiju sat on the bed and patted the mattress asking her to sit beside her. Cosette sat with a sigh and paused before she could think of an excuse to cover what happened last night.

“I-uh, grabbed a heavy pot from the cupboard above, it was so heavy that I accidentally snapped my wrist because it also contains a smaller pot inside,” she regretfully bit her lip on her mendacious response. “I-I apologize for making you worry again, milady.”

“Don’t be,” Reiju comforted her as she reached for the medicine she brought for her, “Here’s to make you feel better,” she smiled.

“Oh my, this is unnecessary, milady,” Cosette hesitated.

“Take it,” she insisted, “I’m also worried that Niji called you in for later. I hope he would not hurt you again,” Reiju placed a hand on Cosette’s freckled cheek.

“Thank you. Reiju,” she smiled… At her friend.

* * *

The heavy rain was muted from outside of the thick glasses of the castle at five minutes before three in the afternoon.

Cosette now stands at Niji’s doorstep. She felt nervous of what would he do after she gave him a hard landing on his face, but she also felt that he deserved it for playing with her feelings. She could picture him laughing at her fractured wrist or even scolding her because of her audacity to hurt a man with nobility just for some pathetic romantic reason with his brother.

She finally hits her knuckles on the door as her other hand grips on the silver food trolley instead of holding them in her hands.

“It’s open,” the prince answered.

“Pardon my intrusion, my lord,” Cosette slowly enters his room as she closed the door behind her with her foot. “Where should I place your meal?”

“On my desk,” he answered as he watches her from his bed, placing the plates carefully. His eyes were focused on her injured hand observing her trying to hide them by blocking his view with her back.

“How’s your wrist?” he stood from his bed as he approaches her.

“It’s fine, my lord,” she replied. He grabbed her injured arm and she whimpered in pain. Her breathing was unstable as she watches him observe her injured wrist.

“Such a fragile woman,” he commented without leaving his gaze on her hand. “Yet so bold to have the audacity lay a hand on me,” he finally eyed her underneath his lenses.

“I have no regrets,” she darted calmly, yet he felt her pulse raising from her wrist.

“Hmm, wrong choice of words, little one,” he pushed her on the bed as she winced from the impact when Niji crossed both of her hands above her head. “The meaning of your name suits you. So little dignity, not just your physique,” his eyes now roams on her delicate body as his fingers trailed gently on the buttons of her uniform. “It didn’t hurt when you slapped me, but it sure did fucking irritated me, Cosette.”

“Well, I’ll take this fracture as an honor for me to be the first person to slap a Vinsmoke in the face,” she blinked at him.

Niji scoffed at her provocation and lowered his head beside her ear, “You just made me want to hurt you more,” his grip on her hands tighten as she arched her back in pain.

“Glady. I would love to be severely hurt by you just to get out of this damned castle. You have no idea how much I wanted to leave this hell-on-earth palace!” she gritted on him.

“Why didn’t you resign then?”

“Because I pity the next person to take my place just to be battered by an apathetic creature like you,” her voice cracked as her eyes became glassy. He waited for her to shed a tear before he could answer back.

“Your words, not mine,” he reminded her before he pulls her up and flips her on her belly into position on his lap. He lifts her skirt up as then her underwear to expose her cheeks to him. He was surprised she was also scarred on this area and a name was branded on her like a pig.

“Looks I’m not the first one to beat you,” his warm palm rubs her ass then he gave each cheek some scratches with his fingernails leaving red lines right after each stroke. “Who's Lucius?” he asked about the name branded on her, but she didn’t reply.

“Oh well,” he made a hard land on her ass afterwards. He heard her whimper from the impact. “Count for me, Cosette,” he soothes her thigh, but she stood silent for a moment only to receive a light tug from her hair for her to obey and she hummed shortly in reply.

“One.” A hit was landed on the other cheek as she started counting. He smiled at her response when he hits the same spot.

“Two,” she bit her lip and took a deep breath before receiving another.

“Three,” he rubs her reddened skin and slaps both of her cheeks alternatively.

“Four… five… six…” her skin began to feel hot and numb from the repeated impacts against the palm of his hand.

“Ah! Seven!” This time his hand hit her harder that it made her lift her leg. He pushed off her leg as his fingernails played on her heated skin. He watches her reaction from the refection of his mirror in front of them. He enjoys how she bits herself and clutches his sheets to ease the pain.

“You’re doing great, little one,” Niji encouraged her to keep her sane before he hits her again.

“Eight!” she gritted on her teeth as she jolted.

“Nine! Ten!” He made the last two hits the most painful one to each cheek. He could feel her chest heaving as she weeps in pain. He made her sat on his lap slowly facing him. She winced and sniffed as the fabric of his pants grazed against her skin. She tried to hide her sniffles with her uninjured hand with her head hanging low, but he puts her hand down and lifted her chin up. He tilted his head in observation and hummed at her sight.

“You’re the same submissive bitch as ever,” he caressed her salted cheeks with his thumb. “Care to be my personal one, hm?”

The question made Cosette pushed his hand off as she immediately rolled down her underwear and skirt as she wiped her tears hardly behind his back before she took the food trolley in her hands.

“Enjoy your meal, my lord,” the sound of the thunder overlapped the slamming of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heck, I thought I should stick with the new translation of "Reverie" to "Levely". Sounds lame, but ok.
> 
> That's it for now~ I don't know when I''l be back, but it's gonna be a few months again before I update. Thank you so much for your continued support!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SIKE! I've read a lot of historical romance the past few weeks and I'm motivated to write more AHAHAHA.

_“I forgot something. I’ll be back in a minute!” The young Niji watches his eldest sister excuse herself right after their sparring training. _

_“Where do you think she’s going?” Yonji stretched his arms from the harsh agility exercise. “She always leaves right after the session.”_

_“Don’t mind her, Yonji.” Ichiji leans his weight on his training mace. “She’s in the right age to know what she is doing.”_

_Niji’s suspicion still bothers him as his reverie was interrupted by the call of the leading scientist for the results of their training. It’s been months since he has noticed that Reiju has been slacking off on her own. He did not tell his brothers about his suspicion because they were damn-well trained in military tactics at a very young age: Doubting can result to any consequences._

_The next session of their training, he decided he should tail his sister. He noticed that the servants were fewer wandering around the hallway on this very day. _

What seems to be the occasion?

_Niji brushed that thought off and took the opportunity of lesser employees to follow her easily. With his Stealth ability, he was able to sneak behind Reiju that led him into a small infirmary. To his surprise, the missing servants were gathered in this place. _

_“I feel sorry for the poor Queen’s birthday, this will be her last,” one of them sighed depressingly as they exited one of the rooms. Niji hid his presence behind a column and watched Reiju positioned herself beside his ailing mother and… Sanji on the other._

_“Mother! Happy birthday!” Reiju greeted as she plants a loving kiss on her mother’s pale cheek. “I made this for you!” she revealed a flower crown of carnations with alternating colors of red and white._

_“My, darling! It’s been a long time since I’ve worn a crown. This one’s now my favorite! Thank you so much!” Queen Sora fancied herself on a hand mirror donning the crown her daughter made especially for her. _

_“Happy birthday, mother!” the young Sanji bubbled. “I baked this for you!” he placed a small cake on her lap. It was a lemon bread iced with white frosting. The message, “Happy Birthday!” was written in wriggly lines in blue frosting and was splattered with rainbow sprinkles on it._

_“Wow Sanji, this looks delicious!” Sora handled the fork beside the thin plate and took a bite. She licked the frosting from her lips and smiled at her precious boy. “Mmm! As always, perfect as ever, Sanji!” She wailed and hugged them both on the bed. Reiju felt her mother’s grip tried to keep as tight as she can despite of her loosing strength._

_For the first time, Niji felt his chest got heavier for a second. He stood behind the walls of the infirmary as he watches them laughing and Sora telling them how much she loves them. Her beauty remains regardless of her frail body; her bony hands stroke each head of her children and the obvious rising of her cheekbones appear on her face were the signs her time is running out._

_They were like that for at least thirty minutes._

_He immediately hid his presence again when his siblings came out of the room as he watches them exited the hall._

_“What are you doing there, young lad?” his mother called from behind. At first, he thought she was addressing Sanji, but he realized he wasn’t there anymore. He stepped out from the column as he approaches his mother._

_“How did you know I was there?” he asked bluntly._

_“I’m your mother. So, I should know,” she smiled at him and eyed at the pillar he was standing. He realized that his elongated shadow from the sunlight revealed him. She offered him a seat beside her tapping her bed lightly._

_“How are you?” she started. _

_“I’m doing fine, mother. I only ended up here because Reiju was slacking off again. It’s been months and it’s getting suspicious so, I followed her here.” His tone was of a man inside a child. Sora tilted her head at him, observing her son for the first time, as she caressed his cheek with her soft hands; they were warm which he finds surprisingly comfortable. _

_“Do you wear these every day?” she tapped at the lenses of his goggles. “They look cool!” _

_“You think so?” Niji’s face suddenly beamed at his mother’s compliment. “I actually wear them to protect my eyes with my powers!” He showed off his abilities by emitting electricity from his hands and hit a vase nearby._

_“Oh my!” his mother exclaimed. Overlooking at the mess he made, she laughed and clapped her hands, “You’re really strong, Niji,” she paused for a bit and stared at him. “May I?” her fingers hooked around his goggles asking him if she may take it off._

_Niji froze as she lets her take off his goggles. “Ah, such gentle eyes,” she sighed. “Blue as the stilled waters of the ocean, yet they deliver such killing intent,” she commented while teasingly poked his nose. _

_“Wha_ _— What are you doing?” He was caught off guard when she suddenly embraced him tight as she whimpers like a child._

_“It’s called a hug, Niji and I’ve missed you so much! This is the first time I’m seeing you since you were a baby, look how you’ve grown! My, your blue hair suites you! I love you so much!” She pressed kisses against his cheeks as she nuzzles her face against his._

_“But I don’t love you, mother. Never.”_

_Sora stopped for a moment and turned her face to him as she caressed his cheeks again, smiling at him lovingly. Her face was undeniably beautiful; he realized he inherits the blue of her eyes, only hers was compassionate that he doesn’t understand._

_“But I always do.”_

“Really? Right now?” Niji groans when he cracked his eyes open from sleeping.

Today is their birthday.

He gets up from his bet and washed his face with cold water to keep him away from distractions. He was also expecting breakfast to be served in bed this time since it was his, _their, _rather, the Princes’ birthday.

* * *

An unusual request… Or a birthday request rather, was received by Cosette at six in the morning: to serve breakfast in bed to Niji and to be delivered personally by her. She strolls into the castle’s hallway with her hands clutches the cold bar of food trolley as she stops by the door and made a few knocks before she was answered to come in.

“Excuse me,” her eyes were focused on the floor as she placed the morning meal by the prince’s bed. His hair was loosely flowed down on his shoulder unlike from his usual styled one, but his eyes remained half lidded and his posture was slouching a bit from the early call.

“Enjoy, your meal, milord,” she bowed and turns her back for the exit.

“No, stay there. Wait till I’m finished,” he made his voice orotund for his own intentions.

Cosette obeyed; but the tense and the awkward silence in his enormous room filled her and broke the silence, “Why a breakfast in bed, my lord? Don’t you want to celebrate your birthday with the rest of your brothers?” She asked meekly as she watches him enjoys his meal.

He scoffed at her question, “You know, sometimes it sucks to be part of a quadruplet. You share birthdays and you can’t even celebrate with yourself. So I thought it would be great if I have a me-time on my birthday.”

She remained still on her position and thought of another question to ask, “Oh, if you want to have a me-time, then why request for me to hand your breakfast personally?”

“You ask a lot of questions so early, Cosette,” her name sounds odd at the end of his sentence; more like teasing, yet gentle. “I want a non-family member to celebrate with me,” he took a sip from his coffee.

“But, don’t you always do that at your parties?”

“Yeah, but that’s a hell lot of a guests… I hate people, and you know that.” She sighed and nods in response.

“And I hate you too, my lord,” she said softly, but with diction.

“I know,” he sets aside his meal and leans his back on the headboard. “How’s your ass?”

It took a few seconds before she responds from the sudden question, “It’s been three days. I guess I’m fine,” she eyed on his untouched meal. “You’re not eating, my lord?”

“Oh, I will,” he leans down and pulled out something from his drawer beside him. It was a small, silver dagger. “Since you hate me so much, why don’t you kill me?” he hands her the dagger.

“You know I can’t. I’m not a fool to kill a Vinsmoke,” she replied.

“Even if I assure you, that they won’t find out?” his tone was sarcastic.

“Everybody knows that the Germa science is one of the greatest pioneers when it comes to technology,” she returns the dagger back inside the drawer. “How about I give you my birthday request to you, my lord?” She cleared her throat. “Just for this day, I want you to act like a human. Like a decent human. Even if just pretending, that would mean a lot to me.”

“And, will I get my birthday gift in return?” He tilted his head as he raised a brow.

“What? Like a kiss? Knowing your lecherous behavior, that would satisfy you,” she furrowed.

“You know a kiss alone won’t satisfy me.”

“Fine,” she breathed, regretting her decision, “Your call.” She walks towards the door to exit. “Good luck on your birthday, my lord,” she called before she closes his door, leaving him with a smirk on his face.

_Play-pretend now? _Noble or rabble, he has always been a dour when it comes to socializing. This certain request of her has been accepted as his challenge, if it would mean to bed her tonight.

Three knocks were heard again from his door minutes later, “Sire, here are the final list of your guest. You may want to review them, if you please,” an attendant called.

“Bring it here.” The man enters his room with a book in his hand. “On my desk now.” Niji ordered as the man benignly complied and stood by the door.

“Did my brothers already looked this?” he asked as he was flipping through pages.

“Yes, my prince. They also made the last-minute of crossing out the names they don’t want to be invited,” the man reported.

His fingers passed through the long names of he didn’t even know. Some were new, some who have met before but didn’t care about. Some even were familiar because they have the same names in the registry in the brothel.

_Fools. _He scoffed. They didn’t even bother to censor, or at least put a false name to write their names when fucking a woman in the night. And with this, he pulls out his notebook and pen.

“Leave me for a moment and wait for me outside,” he ordered as the man lowered his head and made his exit.

He began copying the names that he saw from the brothel and from the guestlist to his notebook. All he wanted is to find all the men and to clarify if they once made an encounter with her. The men’s names were also the business partners of the kingdom and one mistake might start a debacle and could bring down the Germa. He couldn’t trust nobody in this suspicious endeavor but himself.

* * *

She hopes this would be her last service.

Cosette did informed her colleagues that she would finally resign after the princes’ birthday; the whole kitchen staff was astonished by her announcement and bid her good luck and threw her a simple gathering last night. Indeed, she would never miss the horrors of the castle, but the love and friendship she received from the staff and the compassion from Reiju and Sanji would always be her treasure.

That day, Cosette grooms herself for the big celebration. She never had any big mirrors in her room, as her request, so she could not see any of her scars again. She knew he did not leave any scars on her, but they left temporary marks.

Her nights always haunt her. She never lets herself to sleep fearing nightmares from her past would visit in the middle of her dreams. Her young self being sold to the loathsome men and being shared every hour haunted her the other day, and last night, flashbacks of being branded by the names of the regal men, especially the Celestial Dragons who can afford her.

The existence of the scars of her body are the reminder of those gruesome memories since she was ten. Hence the reason to stay up late and read books in the night to replace some ghastly nightmares into delirious dreams. Sometimes, she would let her fall asleep in her bathtub so she could wash her head with cold water just to erase the cold memory from her head.

She hopes the walls are thick enough to hide her whimpers and wailing to vent out her pain, accompanied by her very own blade that helps her to ease down. She would watch as blood would mix with water being drained from the tub just like her own blood flowing from those crooked wooden floors where men would just throw her like a rag when they finished.

The sensation of the cold porcelain of the walls was a painful nostalgia when she was being dragged by her hair only to be hit by the blazing iron with another name that would own her for a night, but would remind her forever of their monstrous deeds.

The night was glorious.

Representatives and diplomats, nobles and royalties don their finest dresses and debonair apparels in the celebration. Banners embroidered with the royal seal hang among the pillars and walls in the castle. Guests were greeted by the footmen as the walk through the enormous door of the ballroom. All employees were in their positions of their work. Cosette was busy in the buffet attending and serving them with her delish gourmet displayed on the long table decently.

She watches from afar to the ladies, baronesses, and other gentries from different lands dance and sashay with their luxurious gowns stitched in rare fabrics that some brushed and slid against the marble tiles of the ballroom. She admits that she felt quite jealous to them. She dreamed to be able to try those velveteen gowns with their classy tiaras and headdresses that perch on their glorious locks and braids.

“Miss Cosette, we need to refill,” the call had regained to her senses as one of the chefs reminded her.

“Ah, yes,” she blinked and called one of her colleagues to fetch another batch of caviar and marinated steak back from the kitchen. She gave herself a light pinch on her forearm for her to be awake from her nonsense thoughts for tonight’s event.

“A thousand blessings to your birthday, your majesties,” a baron greeted the Vinsmoke lads. “Here’s a present from our family to you. A sword to each prince. They were forged with one of the finest elements that are rare in our land. I hope you would appreciate them.” He bowed and his company presented their gifts; they were adorned and carved to well that it turns into a majestic handiwork.

Yonji subtly clicked his tongue, “We are already recognized as one of the advanced and top known technology. Are they seriously giving us such cheap swords?” he muttered to Ichiji’s ear.

“Oh, I’m sure they _will,_” Reiju cuts in from what she had heard from her unsatisfied younger brother.

Niji just rolled his eyes under his lenses. They have been standing for hours from the greetings of their guests with their expensive, or rather their best gifts from their represented kingdom or land or family. He always gets bored in celebrating his birthday with his brothers; he doesn’t take this kind of events seriously. They wear their fancy clothes and style their hair in a different way. His was not gelled like the usual and his hair was tied sideways as they perched loosely on his shoulder, Ichiji tied his hair in his back and retained his locks hanging on both sides, and Yonji did not wear his slicked-back hair, but his was combed to his side. Reiju styled herself the usual but a jeweled butterfly hairpin is clipped half of her hair revealing a bejeweled butterfly ear cuff.

So, what if they got older? They just need to do their job like what they have supposed to do after this night ends. His hands grew tired from shaking the hands of unlikely people invited and falling in line in front of them, whom he never truly knows well in the first place.

He was cut off when there was a commotion happening in the middle of the crowd. There was some bickering between a Celestial Dragon and a servant.

“Well, something interesting is happening,” Yonji snickered.

“What’s the matter?” Niji interjects between the crowd.

“Ahck! This man had the audacity to ruined my suit! You have no idea that this even made from the finest fabrics and weavers of Alabasta! I would not tolerate such maltreatment! Have his head off right this instant!” the Celestial Dragon demanded as he spreads out his stained suit at him.

“Please, your lordship, it was an accident!” the man dropped his knees on the floor, begging for mercy.

“This is unacceptable!”

“Oh no…” Reiju breathed, nervous of what would happen next as the music stopped for a moment.

“Gentlemen, if you please,” Niji separated the two. “I’ll have a new suit to be ordered for you, even more magnificent than what you are wearing right now,” he snapped his fingers to demand the servants immediately. “So if you would be so kind not to make a scene and let others enjoy the party.” He smiled. “Also, it’s my birthday… at least have the courtesy to calm yourself down.” He added as he shrugged.

Reiju’s jaw dropped at Niji’s behavior. He could’ve beheaded the man with his sword at this moment but instead he let him live and even compensated to a Celestial Dragon.

“Hmph! I’ll overlook this since it’s your birthday my lord. And this will be the last,” the Celestial Dragon warned.

Hissing whispers from left and right was audible from crowd. What the second prince had shown was quite unbelievable. Of course, it was inappropriate to behead a man in a party, but he could’ve done it by tomorrow, but he this one, he let this one set aside. It is unusual to see a Vinsmoke to act like this.

“Wat happened to the music?” Niji eyed the orchestra as the conductor hurriedly returns to play the music.

“What... just happened?” one of the chefs whispered.

“I don’t know,” Cosette replied softly, her eyes still locked at the prince.

A few men caught his attention. They seem eyeing a certain person from the corner as he observes them doing eye gestures and making signals towards the buffet.

“I need to be excused,” he walks in between the guests and paced quickly towards the buffet. He saw two men noticed his actions and pretended not to see him as they drank on their cocktail glasses. He walked through the guests on his way to the buffet.

“Cosette,” he started with an orotund voice. “I need you to be somewhere else.” He looked at her through her eyes and made a glance to the suspicious men behind them to signal her that something is wrong.

“Aye, my prince,” she obeyed without another word as she tailed him afar from the exhausting party.

She could hear a slight echo from the noisy crowd in the empty hallway they were in as he led them to a certain door and opened them as the hinges made a few squeaks. He let her inside first before closing the door behind but his hand stays on the doorknob.

They were in the castle’s library.

“You are not allowed to light any in this room except the fireplace. You might alert their other men from the outside of they caught a glimpse of light among the closed ones. You will stay here and never go outside this room until I fetch you. You are free to entertain yourself with these books to read,” he instructed.

“What? What do you mean? What men?” she was puzzled by Niji’s instructions, but she never received a response as he left her alone.

The room was big that it could fit five times their house to fit this room. High shelves have arranged books in different genres and long tables stood to read on are aligned perfectly. The room is adorned with huge glass windows sealed in huge frames as the moonlight beamed through them and it was perfectly paralleled to the shelves that she could see clearly the titles on the spines of the books.

She reached for a match box in her pocket, stoop down, and lit the fireplace. She arranges the logs with an iron rod to blaze and keep her warm at the same time. It has been a while for her to be entertained with books; after all, the only entertainment she has is her job itself. She wanders around the towering shelves. Each section amused her with their titles engraved on their spines.

She took books as many as her arms could carry and sat on a chair near the fireplace then stacks her choices in front of a coffee table. She picked her favorite genres: Romance and Fantasy. These genres comfort her during her days in the brothel as she tried to keep herself out from the harsh reality and puts her mind and imagination to the illusions of fictitious events from the books she would either stole, or borrowed from a fellow prostitute.

She passed by a few shelves when a certain section caught her eye: it was the royal family history and heritage. She climbed up the ladder to examine and scanned for the titles of the books that were related with the Vinsmoke family. Some were biographies of the late royalties— including the late Queen Sora. She took interest at the book, grab it, and went down from the ladder.

The biography was her first choice to read that night as Cosette sets aside the rest. She opens the dusty, hardbound cover of the book and flipped the first page. Her fingers brushed each leaf to turn the pages and read the life of the queen with pictures in between paragraphs that narrates her childhood, success, family, until her death.

She felt a gap between the leaves and the page finally landed on the chapter about her family. There was a picture in between the gap. The paper was turning brown and a bit crispy as the colors of the picture were fading. It was a picture of the young Sanji and Reiju accompanying their mother on an infirmary bed with their smiles. There was a handwritten note behind the photo, and it read the date the picture was taken with: _“To my darlings. Remember to stay strong and you are loved. Sora_,” written under the date.

Her eyes return to the book and read the first paragraph of the chapter of her family. It just states the status and the profile each of her children; except Sanji. Her third son was never mentioned in her biography. She checked the index to make sure he was there, but his name wasn’t registered, and she cursed the author on her breath for not including one of the most important people in her life.

She continues to read her biography and she hates how some of the paragraphs had some twisted stories about her death. It mentioned that she had an unexpected sickness from her pregnancy and fell suddenly ill and immobilized. She felt like her fingers clutching the paper out of disappointment and annoyance but she remained calm and decided to change a book to read as she returns the photo between the pages.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back! So, government exam got cancelled because of the pandemic crisis. I hope you guys are doing okay out there and I'm currently quite stressed lately even though we had a lockdown in my country. Anyways, I've open a writing commissions during this outbreak to support my family, because none from my applied jobs haven't responded to me yet, so... DM me at my Twitter: @GestOPPA for more details and questions!

“That’s some show right there, brother,” Yonji simpers patting his large hand onto Niji. “Way to impress the guests, Niji.”

“If that were a theater play, I would totally give you a standing ovation,” Ichiji added as he sipped his wine.

Niji brushed off his brothers' comments and waited patiently until the party is over.

The ballroom was filled with the sound of clapping and cheering after the eldest Vinsmoke gave his birthday speech, until an hour passed, Niji wants to check on Cosette for a moment and sneaked away from the guests without anyone noticing. He approached Eponine who is dusting some old paintings on the wall and asked her to fix a heavy meal on a silver tray for him.

“For whom is this meal, sire?” she asked

“Don’t ask. Just do your job,” he answered with his usual cold tone as the maid quickly apologized and prepare the dish on the tray on the cart. It contains a heaping serving of rice and a few cuts of steak and fish from the leftovers, but it still looks grand. It was also accompanied by a bowl of chowder, a side dish of Caesar salad with a pitcher of iced tea, and a platter of crepe for dessert is placed beside the main dish. A bucket of ice and a wine inside is also present on the cart

“I’ll take it from here. Thank you,” he deadpans and ignored the maid’s gaping in shock from his expressed gratitude from _him. _

He made a few knocks and called her name, yet he receives no response from her until he impatiently opens the door and pushed the cart to the glowing fireplace only to see a sleeping Cosette surrounded by books. He sighed and quietly stacked the books when he paused at a certain title; it had a paper peeking out between the pages. He pulls out the sheet and it revealed the photo of his late mother and siblings on her sides. He flipped the photo back to examine it and read the note behind it.

_That’s unfair. _He thought to himself. There was a small pang of envy he felt when he realized he wished he was also in the photo and was part of the mentioned _darlings_ by his mother. He sighed and shook his head from the thought and returns the books to the shelves one by one back where they belong. From a moment, he heard some slightest sounds ruffles from the chair.

“I should’ve locked you in your bedroom if you were just going to sleep here,” he called, “I thought these books would keep you awake in silent amusement,” he said not turning his head to her.

“This is better than my room and I was entertained, thank you, my lord,” she said groggily and turns her head on the food cart, “What’s this?”

“That’s yours. You haven’t eaten since this morning,” he said and sat on the chair in front of her.

“This… This is too much, thank you,” she handles her utensils and feeds herself with her own prepared meal delivered by the prince. “How’s the party then?” she wiped her greasy lips with her thumb.

“Nothing much fun. It was the same old routine in my almost two decades of living,” he pulls out the bottle of wine and pours himself a drink.

“What about those men earlier?” she asked before drinking her iced tea.

He ignored her question staring his own reflection to his wine. “Let’s not stress ourselves tonight with other problems because it’s still my birthday,” he complained, placing his glass on the table.

“Right,” she clears her throat. “So, er, where would you stock your gifts? There’s a whole lot of them, right?” she chuckles awkwardly just by thinking of the materialistic gifts from the guests to the man who had almost everything.

“Just there. Displayed or kept in our rooms,” he drummed his fingers on his armrest and she mouthed an awkward, “Oh,” before she bit her lip.

“I noticed some titles you left here while you were sleeping,” he cuts the atmosphere to start. “Did you enjoy reading them? You enjoy reading biographies?” he raised an eyebrow to his last question.

“Oh, that...” she swallowed, “ No, not really. That’s my first biography book that I’ve read,” she sliced another piece of meat on her plate.

“What do you think?” His eyes fixed on her waiting for her response as she enjoys her late-night meal.

“Hmm, I think it was well written but there are key points that lacked, and there are some events that were twisted in her story,” she drank from her glass.

“Really?” he drawled, “So, you know the story better than the author?” his voice challenged her.

“Those… passages on her death… They- they’re all not accurate, right? She drank the toxin to stop the modification of Prince Sanji’s genetics that lead to the consequences of her turning frail,” she retorts with diction. “A-and why the hell would you even erase Sanji from your Kingdom’s history? Haven’t you realized that he helped your family from the Big Mom Pirates on his shotgun wedding?”

He listened at her urging argument intently, “Don’t worry. If he died, I’ll make sure to write his biography,” he crossed his legs and leans back on his seat.

She cringed at his reply, “Ugh, with your biased and selected perspective? It would be a disaster.” Niji acted calmly as possible and leans forward as he rests his elbows on his lap.

“I thought I told you it’s my birthday and leave the issues aside.”

“It is _also _his birthday. He’s your twin brother,” she covered her mouth and let out a silent burp from her meal. “You should get some rest, my lord. Your birthday is about to end,” she stood up and starts piling the plates.

“Enjoy the rest of the night, my lord,” was the last thing she said before she made her exit in the room.

* * *

Csoette headed to the kitchen, returned the plates, and checked their stocks of their food before she returns to the buffet station. From what she suspected from earlier, the men that Niji was eyeing lately looked _familiar_ from afar.

_How did he knew about his men in the first place?_

She felt scared and traumatic for a moment as a memory from her past flashed for a second. She remained alert and conscious on her every action. Her conscience tells her to warn the princess in private, but the another tells her to don’t start a panic. Reiju has been her friend from her first weeks of employment in the castle, and she would never let anyone hurt her as well as the hundreds of innocent guests.

“Miss Cosette?”

“Ah, yes?” she blinked in surprise.

“Is there anything wrong?” one of the chefs asked.

Cosette cleared her throat before she could walk hastily towards the busy princess. Questions like, _How the hell did they know she’s here? _Or _Where is the goddamn exit? _have been stirring in her mind simultaneously.

She took the empty wine glasses and plates as she moved to Reiju’s side and whispered, “M-Milady, you need to be careful,” she warned, but tries to be calm and alert at the same time.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” she waved the nobles who was asking for her hand to dance goodbye before she accompanies Cosette in the corner.

“What’s wrong, Cosette?” she asked worriedly, “You look pale!”

Cosette panicked, “I saw three suspicious men wandering around the hallway and they look familiar to me and they gave me a bad omen and I came to tell you here to—”

“Slow down, Cosette. I don’t foll—”

* * *

She coughed from the thick, black smoke blocking her sight. Cosette grunted in pain and turns her head painfully and suspected she might have a concussion. Screams of men and women inside the castle were echoing the hallway in the middle of the riot.

“Over here!” a man shouted.

“Don’t let every single one of the Vinsmokes leave the castle!” another followed.

“Reiju…” she breathed. _Where is she?_

Cosette grunted as she lifts the heavy wooden debris over her head and tries to escape from the terrorists inside the castle. She searched for the princess from every door, but everything is engulfed by fire or guarded by armed and Devil-Fruit users. She could almost make her exit from the castle walls to take the back gate when a grimy hand muffled her.

“And where do you think you’re going lassie?” a man growled at her ear. Her strength was no match for against his muscular frame. She tried to resist by kicking and hitting the man with her elbow before he could drag her into the woods near the castle.

“Look at you, from a whore to a kitchen wench!” the man threw her body onto the grass. Her head was still spinning from the concussion earlier as she cannot fight back.

“Why are you here?” she winced with her half-lidded eyes.

“Oh, you know how these Vinsmokes’ tech can fill our piggy banks. If only I knew you moved in here to work with them, I could’ve assigned you as a spy,” the man squeezed her cheeks hard with his hand.

She knew that this man looks familiar. Tanned, tattooed, with a buzz cut head, spelling his name on the back of his head shaved in large letters, “LUCIUS”

“I’d rather die than to work under you again!” she spat her blood at his face only to receive a hard slap from him.

“You rather work with those warmongers than us, simple businessmen?! You’re daft, woman!” he laughed as he watches her struggling to stand on her feet. “Let’s see if they’re still here,” he straddled on her and starts to cut her uniform with his dagger as she screams and hopelessly pounding him on his chest. His cut was deep, and it wounded her between her cleavage. He pushed his weight on her wrists above her head to keep her still as he ties and muffles her with the strips from the fabrics of her uniform.

Cosette’s wished that this was just a nightmare that she can wake soon. She wished for someone, _anyone_ to wake her up.

“Let go of her!” a shadow from above appeared on the ground. Lucius looked up and saw wings spread into the air as the figure swooped down to punch him real hard. The man flew and broke at least three trees from the speed and impact.

“Why princess…” Lucius chuckled as blood draws from his mouth. “You sure don’t fight like a princess to me—”

He was cut off when Reiju blew a poison at him making him difficult to breathe. Seeing the opportunity to escape, she immediately carried Cosette into her arms and flew away immediately from the castle. The was in her Raid Suit that moment and led them into one of the family’s secret basement. It was a huge building that is camouflaged against the environment and it’s not detectable with any heat signatures nor from any trackers. The basement is packed with some of the survived guests as well as the employees.

* * *

“I’m here, Cosette, stay with me,” she rushed her into a private room from the infirmary. Cosette passed out and was exhausted from the fight. Reiju laid all the necessities for her wounds beside her. She sighed in relief when she opened her eyes slightly.

“Reiju? Is that you, milady?” Cosette murmured.

“Shh, yes it’s me, Cosette, I’m here, darling,” she soothes her, “You need to rest now. You’re safe here.” She was interrupted when she heard a knock from the door. Reiju sighed in disappointment.

“Go get that milady. I’ll be fine here,” Cosette assured her, Reiju begrudgingly complied and answered the door.

“What?” she exclaimed impatiently.

“Those men are trouble, Reiju. I know them,” Niji reported.

“If you knew them, then why didn’t you tell me who they are?!” Cosette heard her voice raised from her room.

“Look, I didn’t know them, not until today!” he sighed before he eyed the door behind her, “Father wants your presence by the way.” Reiju flared her nose before she leaves him with heavy feet.

Niji watches his sister’s presence finally gone before entering the room.

Cosette was left unaided and wounded horribly if not for his interruption. He initiated getting the gauzes, thread, needle and healing medicines for her large scar on her chest.

“You seem to forget something, milord…” she stated weakly, and eyed the prepared medicines for her. Niji stared at them, he shrugged as he hummed and picked the anesthesia from the table before pouring a liberate amount on her chest. Cosette winced as she clawed the sheets and bit her lips in pain. Her breasts were covered by the remaining bust part of her uniform, and her torn brassier cups is still on, her skirts were all ragged, and one of her shoes is now missing from the flight.

“You people really are fragile,” he commented and patting her exposed middle chest with a cloth.

“And you really know how to aid a person for such a warmonger like you,” she replied.

“It’s just the opposite of what I do, Cosette. It’s not that difficult,” he starts threading a needle. Fortunately, the wound was not _that _deep to reach her rib cage as he finally pierced the needle into her skin.

“If it’s not that difficult, why don’t you act like one?”

“You do know we don’t need such aiding since we have clones, right?” He eyed on her as he continues to sew her injury. She didn’t reply at his expected reason. She knew that all these pretending would only last for a short while. She looked at the clock hanging in front of her that read quarter to twelve.

“I’m sorry that this happened on your birthday, milord,” she breathed, “I guess the bet is off now,”

“No, it’s not. It’s still my birthday. Don’t you have any wishes for me?” his voice sounded gentle this time, like hoping something from her.

“Then, my wish for you is to extend your acting like a human as long as you live,” Niji stopped at her statement and looked at her. “Can you do that?”

“If you’re asking for this, then the bet is still on as long as we both live,” he reminded her as he grabbed a pair of shears to cut the excess thread on her skin to finish. 

“I’m aware of I just said, milord.” She blinked at him.

“Get well soon, Cosette. You’ll need some rest,” he said before leaving her.

_Now that’s a start. _Cosette thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that also I'm stayed at home, I now have all the time to brainstorm and write some more! :) But that doesn't mean that my updates would be that fast... I'd be also out for job hunting online and help my parents in the house chores, so I think this fanfic would be updated monthly. Don't forget to DM me at Twitter: @GestOPPA if you're interested for a commission!


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